Starring:
Mune (as Aion), Amaya, Tessen, Jon
Date: November 5, 2010
Summary:
An exciting match-up turns grim due to the stubborn will to keep fighting.
"First World Ninja Competition - To the Bitter End: Amaya vs. Tessen"
Peach Pit Stadium Arena 2 [Kusagakure]
Peach Pit Stadium Arena 2 [Kusagakure]
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TEMPORARY DESC! This is a fairly standard ninja fighting arena, plenty of space to run around in, a few things to hide behind, you know the drill. The main unique feature is the intricate line of seals drawn around the edges of the arena. When activated by a team of ninja technicians, these seals create a barrier which keeps the combatants (and any attacks they may fire off) contained, and an energy field within which protects them from serious injury. Rock out with your best attacks, you're in the ninja equivalent of a bouncy playpen!
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The most popular of the Arenas is currently in use… But there are others that are available for official matches as well. Arena 2 has plenty of an audience, even if not quite as large as Arena 1. So far, both of the Uchiha in the tournament have lost to their opponents. But those were Hyuuga… The so-called 'most powerful Clan in the Hidden Leaf Village'. And an Uchiha is about to face off against a Kemonoken, apparently. While Kemonoken can be formidable, they do not have quite the same reputation as the Uchiha.
The sun in the sky above is glowing down on the ring for most of the morning and some of the afternoon, but clouds are beginning to pass over it, darkening Arena 2 and the surrounding area a bit. It looks like there may be rain for this match. Arena 2 is a large, open area with grass, dirt, and stone pillars of various shapes, sizes, and heights. Some are extroardinarily tall. Others are short enough to use as a seat.
Maneshi Kinji, the Maneshi Clan Head, is currently seated on one such pillar, quietly reading a book. A full-grown bengal tiger, named Tora-Tora-Tora, paces back and forth impatiently, stripey tail lashing in agitation. When the time arrives, a tiny alarm goes off on a clock that Kinji has hanging from his belt. "Hoh?" he starts, having forgotten about the clock. Then Tora-Tora-Tora calls out, "Alright! Finally! Time to get started!" He ROARS towards the audience, "AN OFFICIAL MATCH IS ABOUT TO BEGIN! I AM TORA-TORA-TORA! THIS IS AION, THE MANESHI CLAN HEAD!" Kinji looks towards his tiger and says, "My name is Kinji--" Tora-Tora-Tora roars over him, "AION WILL BE THE PROCTOR FOR THIS MATCH! OUR COMPETITORS ARE CHALLENGER: UCHIHA TESSEN FROM THE LAND OF FIRE… AND…" The tiger pauses and looks towards Kinji. He holds up a scroll with the name of the other competitor. "…CHALLENGER: FIERCE BEAST CAT-FIST USER NAGAYAMA AMAYA FROM THE LAND OF LIGHTNING!" Tora-Tora-Tora pauses a moment to say, "Hey, is that right? A Cat-fist user? Heh. I know who I'll be cheering for!" Kinji just shrugs. Tora turns back to the stands and roars again, "COMPETITORS TO YOUR POSITIONS! AND MAKE IT SNAPPY!!!"
Amaya is ready for her match. This may be some kind of special arena with special barriers and so forth, but she saw what it was like when her husband fought. You can still feel pain. But apparently not the same amount of pain as she needs for >That< technique… She can't rely on Kinjutsu to win. However, she also doesn't feel coming in armed to the teeth in Kumogakure ANBU uniform is necessary either. So she is dressed in her 'casual ninja' clothing as she enters the ring after being called in.
Tardiness is one flaw that is not attributed to Amaya. The white-haired Kemonoken woman approaches the middle of the ring, lifting both eyebrows as she sees a tiger standing there. Is that who was yelling? Kusagakure sure is weird sometimes. Still, she grins and comes to a stop about ten feet from the center of the ring, resting her right hand on her hip and waiting for her opponent to appear. An Uchiha… This should be interesting, for sure. She'll just have to be glad most of her techniques aren't copyable.
…She hopes, anyway. Can Uchiha use Ki? Do they even need to? "Should have studied the Sharingan more before this match…" she mutters to herself.
Tessen heard the roar of the tiger and slowly paced towards the arena. His head held rather low as if he were watching the ground for traps, but half lidded eyes told otherwise. A part of him was interested in this to show the strength of the takokujin, another disinterested entirely due to the call of the over grown house cat. When he entered the arena with a steady pace his charcoal eyes raised to meet the cat's, "I am not from the Land of Fire…"
With that he trailed off and merely stared over the ring with quiet eyes and fighters stance. His body was tense as he awaited his opponent to attack him, or to be given the opportunity to attack her. To him this was something that should be ended swiftly as possible. Preliminary matches were a place to frighten competition and show them just what you were capable of.
As he saw the woman walk in casually he almost smirked at what seemed relaxation before a battle. He nodded his head slightly in greeting to her and then said no more as he awaited the starting signal. This would end quickly, either for better or worse.
Tora-Tora-Tora nods once they are both in place. "Standard rules apply, just like always! If Aion thinks you're done, then you're done! Got that!?" A look between Amaya and Tessen, and then Aion/Kinji climbs on board the tiger's back. "BEGIN!" Tora blurs out of sight and lands atop a platform alongside the ring. The barrier jutsu comes up, encasing the ring in a transparent aura of energy. Thunder rumbles in the sky. Definitely a storm coming.
Tora-Tora-Tora turns his head to his passenger after landing on the platform and asks, "Why do all these people have the wrong registration information!? This is the sort of thing we're supposed to know in ADVANCE! At some point between 'registering' and 'challenger scroll' some moron changes the country of origin for half these people! They just assume every Uchiha is from the Land of Fire, and think they're correcting it! IDIOTS!" Tora keeps on griping and yelling off in the distance, and will probably keep it up throughout the match. Good thing he is nearly inaudible from down in the ring.
Jon sits patiently near the front edge of the arena's seating. He arrived early so as to be sure of getting a good spot for this match. Can't be showing up late or sitting back where you can't be heard for your wife's match, after all. ;) Besides, this ought to be pretty interesting. Jon's match was against an unknown for him, but it's hard not to be at least vaguely acquainted with the name 'Uchiha' in the ninja world. Will Amaya-chan be able to put up a good fight against a member of the legendary clan? Jon certainly thinks she's got a fighting chance.
Scruvo, being of a less patient sort, is down in the ring, hunting for bugs amongst the stone pillars. Considering there are a few other wild birds and other critters similarly engaged down there, it doesn't seem to be something those in charge of the tournament are worried about…in fact, they're so not worried about it, and Scruvo's so busy stuffing his beak, that the barrier goes up with Scruvo still inside. Hmmm. c.c
Amaya bows to Tessen, not worrying about where his eyes might fall because of this. She is married, she doesn't mind being eyed up, and she heard the Uchiha are asexual anyway. Seriously, they reproduce like amoebas. She heard it in a bar once! Not a single one is interested in the opposite sex! So this is so completely not a concern for her, that she has worn her not-fitting-properly vest/corset-thing, and all the rest of her casual clothes. A pouch on her right hip for ninja tools is about it, in terms of extra gear.
Straightening up, Amaya decides that holding-back too much against an opponent like this would be a bad idea. Still, she has to know where she stands as well. Committing fully to an all-out assault would be foolish. Especially since the strength of her Style is defense. So she just turns sideways, right leg in the rear, knee bent and weight resting on the ball of her foot. Her left leg is in the fore, weight distributed evenly on the left foot. Her left arm is raised, elbow bent so that her left hand is near her chin, fingers splayed. And finally, Amaya's right arm is held in the rear, elbow bent, and arm horizontal, with the right hand in a fist.
This not the stance she uses when she is being 'serious'. This is not her personal fighting style of the Kemonoken. Jon, at least, would know this. But who else here would know that a Kemonoken can use a fighting style other than his or her Beast Fist arts? Amaya wastes little time wondering about if her opponent cares or not. He doesn't seem interested anyway. He probably thinks this will be an easy win. Time to show him he is wrong!
Amaya swiftly reaches down with her right arm to the pouch on her right hip, since that side of her is facing away from Tessen, withdraws a kunai and a shuriken, and then whips her arm and torso, hurling the shuriken at chest-level first, and then the kunai low, towards Tessen's leg. Before the weapons even reach him, Amaya has suddenly resolved from a blur of white and tan at Tessen's right, before it is even apparent she left her starting position. She hurls a punch at the side of the man's face. Then the two thrown weapons catch up with her, and attempt to thunk into Tessen's body.
Speed like that is not common-place, even in the ninja world. But is it enough?
Tessen stood almost still until the last moment. His eyes not seeming to bother to try and follow her as she came at him. His tensed leg moved to lung forward as he felt her fist hit his back and send him forward off balance almost like a shove. Spiraling his body barely fell under the first kunai, and the second nicked his calf. The pain wasn't much due to the barrier, and even if the barrier wasn't there it would take more than this to obstruct his focus.
When his hand reached teh ground, he pushed off in a mid twist before landing back on the ground and focusing. He wasn't far from her now. Deep eyes focused on her her as his chakra began to flare up around him. Still not a word or sound passed this Uchiha's lips. She hadn't proved worthy of commentary yet. Aside from an offensive fashion taste that showed off a rather lewd and unattractive body. Almost made her seem cheap…like the speed tactic she tried on him. Though both were of little consequence.
Amaya doesn't dare blink after her opponent lands, but she certainly >wants< to. He isn't trying very hard to defend himself. "Oh, come on. I know you Uchiha are totally sad-ass or whatever the expression in the Land of Fire is, but can't you at least >try< a little? You don't have to hold back on my account. Show everyone how awesome your Clan is! Show everyone how awesome >you< are! It doesn't feel right to just slap around some guy, even if he's letting himself get hurt so the match is 'even'."
Even though her words are an attempt to encourage her opponent to beat her up, her actions are different. She hmms briefly, and then appears right in front of Tessen, attempting to send a flurry of blows with one hand that look like a single punch, but are actually more like several. "Show me what kind of man you are! Show me you have the guts to fight a 'mere woman', and the heart to come out on top!" Then she does a backwards flip kick, trying to nail Tessen under his chin with one foot. ">Show me!<"
Jon leans forward and watches intently as the match begins. Well, that certainly doesn't make this look like an impossible fight for Amaya. :) "Good start, Whiskers!" Jon shouts down, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Keep it up and this'll be--"
"G'day, lads'n'lasses, it's a terrific time fer a ninja clash!" Jon blinks and turns his head. Oh, great…Scruvo's taken it upon himself to be the up-close commentator for the match. -.-; Not /too/ up-close, fortunately, he's perched on a high stone column some distance from the current fighting, but close enough to see details that others might miss. "Sure it's rumblin' up in th'sky, but that's a pahfect match fer th'rumblin' down 'eah in th'ring! Th'first strike o' th'match 'as already been made by the Kemonoken Kitty, Nagayama Amaya! Mystery Man Uchiha Tessen 'asn't made a move t'counterattack yet, but in this biz y'know that just means 'e's gettin' ready fer somethin' big!"
Tessen didn't say a word as he watched her approach him. His motions small but all of the fists are avoided despite some near misses. When she moves to flip kick him, a small sigh escapes his lips as she seems to nail him dead on, only for the image to fade and d an unharmed Tessen to appear a good distance away from her. His eyes now a deep crimson instead of charcoal. Two tomoe glaring back at her menacingly.
His hands made a few short seals as he inhaled before opening his mouth with his hand in front of it. A cloud of embers and smoke billowed out of his mouth towards Amaya covering the ground and air for a considerable distance. This was a diversionary tactic as he made a few more seals and then let loose a single large fireball to burn down through the cloud and scorch little miss whiskers.
Still it seemed he was holding back from something. Just waiting to unleash his next big attack. This to him was a test and nothing more. So it should be interesting to say the least to see if she can avoid a minimal attack.
Jon's eyes flick back and forth, trying to keep the combatants in sight. It's easier to do from a vantage point up here than it is for the combatants themselves, but it's still a challenge. Those moves were designed to make enemies lose track of you, after all. From the look of things, this Tessen guy is a ninjutsu specialist, which isn't too surprising. "Keep after him, Whiskers! Distance is his friend, take it away from him!"
Scruvo, meanwhile, continues narrating. "Tessen's gettin' a bit more serious now, looks like! Jumpin' jackalopes, wheah is 'e gonna pop up next? Wait, 'e's stopped t'do somethin'--crikey, looks like it's barbie time! Can Amaya keep 'er fur from bein' singed?"
The embers and smoke are avoided easily by Amaya simply leaping right over them. At about 50 feet up, she finally seems to reach the apex of her jump, and descend. In mid-air, however she cannot avoid the next attack, even though she can see it coming. Setting her lips in a thin line, however, she tries to see if she can land on the ground and immediately leap aside the moment she makes contact… But she doesn't reach the ground before the fireball hits her. It leaves behind some burns, but overall… It hurts less than she expected. Still plenty to illustrate she doesn't want to get hit with that again, though.
When the smoke clears, she lowers her arms a bit as she notices her opponent's eyes have changed. "…Hee. So >that's< the Sharingan. Guess you decided to get serious after all! In that case, I won't hold back either! It's time for me to show off my new technique!" She clenches her hands into fists and then reverses them so her fingers are facing the sky. She bends her elbows, arms held horizontal, and spaces her feet a bit apart. She then starts to convert her body's Chakra into the much more volatile energy known as Ki. Fierce Ki specifically. And then she immediately uses that Ki to activate her 'new technique'. Her body seems to glow red at first from the visible Geki that glows along the edges of her skin, but quickly lightens to a more yellow coloration. "Ama no Iwato Ken! <Cave of the Sun God's Fist!>" she calls out. Then the yellow Ki explodes outwards from her, becoming a glowing golden aura that lights up the ring like the rays of the sun.
"Ready when you are, Tessen-san," she says cheerfully.
She did well to avoid the cloud of embers, but got caught by the main attack anyway. She wasn't much to worry about at this point. The cheery disposition would kill him before her attacks would at this rate. Seeing the outward explosion of chakra and ki he would smile. This fight could be ended easily if he could remain at a large enough distance from her. That technique had to consume a lot of energy.
Still playing safe rather than sorry he decided to take a large gamble. His hands made quick work of seals while he watched her begin to harness her chakra and transform. Lightning began to arc all around him and tear up the ground and sky alike. Thunder crashes were an almost constant along with the crackling of weaker bolts. His hands moved before his torso as the arcs began to concentrate down in between them. Occasional stray bolts still leveling smaller rocks near him. It took a moment, but when finished the raw power of the storm was contained between his hands in an orb no bigger than a softball. It was obvious to anyone that it wanted out and pushed hard on its barriers.
With a forward shove he released the attack straight for her. Easily dodgeable in its size now, but when it would near its target another seal was made, and the tiny orb exploded outwards. Arcs of lightning flying out in almost every direction making dodging this beauty a real treat.
The sphere of lightning is impressive. Clearly something that Amaya does >not< want to be hit with. So she isn't. She focuses intensely as all that Lightning Chakra is gathered and put to use in the formation of a condensed sphere of power. As she focuses, the previously golden glow from Amaya changes hue, and the light dampens slightly… Now there is a condensed green emanation from her -- not because her Ki has changed color, but because most spectra of light are no longer able to pass through the aura she is emanating.
The lightning sphere tears towards Amaya when it is released. But she is faster than lightning now, it seems, because three different instances of Amaya go dashing in three different directions. One leaps forward and over, the other two go to the left and right, respectively, then all three converge on the opposite side of the orb. When it detonates, Amaya is nowhere near the orb. Instead she is in the process of slashing at Tessen once with her fingers as though they were claws, and then leaping into the air to try to strike again with >both< hands, and… It appears she >does< have claws on her fingertips! And her feet too, apparently, because she lashes out with two kicks in mid-air as well!
"Five Claw Strike!" she calls out. "Twenty Claw Strike!" she calls out after that, before landing in front of Tessen in a crouch, perhaps preparing for yet another attack if he does not react quickly enough.
Jon winces as the fireball connects. Thank goodness for that barrier, having Amaya be badly burned would not be fun for either of them. :P 'Course, the barrier is the reason they're using powerful attacks like that in the first place, but…whatever. Then comes Amaya's new transformation. O.O Whoa…she looks like some sort of kami. Makes Jon wonder what it'd be like to get a kiss from her while she's doing that. ;) Probably like getting five hours' worth of sunburn applied to his lips in two seconds, unfortunately. X)
"Ooo, burn for th'Kitty!" Scruvo remarks. "Don't worry though, folks, she's 'ad a lot worse, even though ya'd nevah think it t'look at 'er. Now it's 'er turn t'--wot's this? Blinkin' badgahs, this is a new one on me, mates! I always new she wos a golden gal, but this is somethin' else! Tessen ain't stoppin' t'stare, though, looks like 'e's windin' up fer somethin'--whoa, talk about playin' 'ardball! But Amaya's ready fer it, an'--am I seein' things? Now she's green an' three'n! She's just full o' surprises t'day, an' it looks like she's got twenty sharp ones fer Tessen!"
Tessen looked to the girl with a slight smirk for dodging his orb. Would seem out little kitty was fast indeed. As she came at him his eyes closed for a brief moment as he vanished back a small distance from the first slash of her claws. The next leaping barrage made him open them suddenly and vanish briefly. He would be across the arena from her, having ducked under her leap and dash to the other side. When it came to speed few could match or surpass him.
As he reappeared a small barrage of shuriken were let loose to distract her from the seal he left on the ground in his wake. As they would near her the seal would activate. A bright crimson beam would shoot up to try and envelop her before thick golden bands would shoot up to hold her in place, and then take work to relieve the perky kitten of some of her precious energy.
Amaya is putting up a fine, brave front. But she knows better than anyone the downside to this technique. It is not that it requires energy… It doesn't. It's that it's eating up her lifeforce as long as it's active. She can feel the pain and the weakness spreading through her… Not physical weakness, but mental. But she has been in worse situations than this. She can keep going for awhile yet before it becomes serious enough she'll have to stop.
Even so, she wastes no time when Tessen attacks her. She just performs an incredibly acrobatic leap backwards, flipping and dodging out of the path of the shuriken, and barely clearing the area in time, where that beam of red light pops up. She plays off her knowledge and abilities a lot as being sub-par, but the truth is she is pretty damn smart. And with the Ama no Iwato Ken her reaction time is five times what it normally is. So she decides that if this guy can use Seals as well as Ninjutsu… It's time to shut him down. A single Fuuinjutsu can make or break a battle. She can't afford to waste any more time as she has been so far.
Streaking in towards her Uchiha opponent, Amaya leaves a glowing golden outline of herself where she was standing less than a second ago. It takes some time for mundane eyes to catch up to her. And when they do… Amaya has already begun her assault. She slashes ten times with her clawed fingertips. Five times with each hand. That's 100 claw slashes total (one per finger). She slashes so rapidly there is even a sound-effect to it, like the air being shredded, along with golden flashes of light trailing the movements of her hands.
Only when it's all over does she bother to say the name of her technique, as she remains on one knee in front of Tessen, both arms held backwards, perpendicular to her body, fingers splayed, as though she had just completed a single slash with both hands. "Hundred Claw Strike!" Pain sears through her body after performing that attack. Further, she is starting to get tired. She has to land some more hits soon, or she'll have to forfeit due to fatigue.
Tessen sighs a bit as he sees her avoid his trap attack. It was bothersome to be dealing with such an agile opponent. As she charged at him, his hands made one last seal and red lightning began to envelop him. The crash was about to fall as he could feel his body beginning to lunge backwards. A few of the claws passed his eyes and a smirk flew on his face. He was going to be clear and just fine. Then he felt a slight scratch that broke his focus. One claw…then more rained down on the fighter as his body continued to shoot back, but nearly countless small wounds tore open on his body.
He was then gone. In the blink of an eye. He reappeared only a few feet back. His legs bowed as he stood refusing to collapse to a knee before her. It hurt despite the barrier, and he knew if not for it, this would have been his end. Still he was a warrior. His eyes burned as he looked to the woman. This body wouldn't move much any more for at least a few moments. Blood tricked down his face as he looked to her with a cold fire in his eyes. The only words he said to her this entire match fell between the drops of blood on the ground. His voice level and flat. Devoid of an emotion to it. Not anger at the realization, sorrow for its result, contempt at its maker…nothing. The words rang out…
"Finish It…"
Amaya breathes a bit harder than she should be through her nose. The only sign she is unable to mask that she is more drained than her techniques so far indicate she should be. Yes, they have both been quite active. But aside from that fireball… What hits has she taken? Muscles twitch and spasm all over her body, pain occasionally appears on her face, and she is slow to rise from her kneeling position. But in the end, at Tessen's words, she closes her eyes. Rising to her feet, still engulfed in that golden glow, she begins to walk forward. Still, her eyes remain closed.
Then right in front of Tessen, even as he remains standing despite the bloody wound all over him, and the pain he is no doubt in, Amaya raises a fist above her head, one eyebrow twitching, lips turned down in a frown… And she thrusts her fist forwards!
Silence for a moment.
More silence.
No blow lands upon Tessen.
Amaya's eyes are open and her hand is extended towards him, as though expecting a handshake. The light that emanates from her, making her glow with the radiance of the sun, or like a kami made flesh, diminishes, fades, and then disappears. "It's just a tournament. I'm not going to 'finish you off'," she offers in perhaps the first truly serious words she has spoken the entire match. Still frowning, she says, "You're an excellent fighter, but I recommend doing some endurance training. It will help you out with all those Chakra-expensive Jutsu you use." Her hand remains extended.
"Now are you going to do forfeit or am I?"
The pain began to subside and Tessen saw her hand and looked at it a moment. He narrowed his eyes in a glare towards the woman. His warriors pride taking over him. His chakra flared once again as he forced his body to rise despite the pain. A sneer on his face. "That is why you will lose. When the opportunity opens take it and crush an enemy. Since you have given me time to recover…I will not allow myself to fall victim to that attack again."
With that the wounded Uchiha staggered back a step and began to let his chakra flare up again. This pause was the only sign of respect he gave her. Enough time to prepare herself to continue. He was going to go on the warpath in just a few seconds if his body would hold out. In this barrier he had no doubt it would hold on for a moment longer. This wasn't for the Uchiha, this wasn't for any semblance of clan pride, this was for himself and his master. The one man that held his faith, and the one who promised he would never again fall to another.
Jon peers down into the ring. What's Tessen doing? That last attack of Amaya's must've hurt, sure, but there's no particular reason why he shouldn't be able to act. He's not attacking, but he doesn't seem to be accepting defeat. Waiting for an opportunity to counter, perhaps? "Watch yourself, Whiskers!" Jon shouts. "He's up to something!"
"Shinies on a shishkebab, this Kitty really knows 'ow t'scratch!" Scruvo squawks. "Things ain't lookin' too bright fer Tessen, in spite o' how th'place is bein' lit up! Wot's this? Is 'e givin' up? …Ah, Amaya's pullin' back 'er claws an' offerin' a paw, looks like this could be the end…no, wait! Tessen ain't 'avin' it! Looks like 'e wants to 'ave this out to th'bittah end!" :o
Amaya's eyes widen as Tessen rejects her offer, does not accept the hand that is held out to help him and show her respect for him. She lowers her eyebrows a bit, but looks more perplexed than anything. Then she sighs and shrugs. "I guess you're just one of those types. You know…" she says, as Tessen starts focusing more Chakra. "…What's sad about this isn't that you think you have to be a bastard to win. It's that you think you're the only one who has ever thought that. You're right. If this was a real fight I would have clobbered you while you were down. But it's not."
Sighing again, Amaya prepares herself. "I'll admit you're very determined, but you look as exhausted as me -- maybe more, even. And there's always the rematch, you know. I'm going to give you a chance to beat me fairly, but if you can't, and you wind up too injured or tired to continue, just give up. You can show me your true strength when we make it to the finals. Alright?" She grins for a moment, and then her smile vanishes as she closes her eyes again. This time it's different. She focuses her mind on something crossing her arms over her chest, and digging her fingers into her upper arms. Biting her lower lip hard, blood begins to flow. Likewise, her now-clawed fingertips cut into her flesh, spilling blood there as well. She considers stopping there. Focusing on the pain and holding it in the focus of her mind. But she decides to push it a bit further. He wants ruthlessness? He'll get it.
Amaya focuses not just on the physical pain she is inflicting as she cuts deeper into her own skin, but also on the memories of emotional pain from her past. She doesn't have to dig very deep. 'Mother,' she thinks. The image of her mother smiling at her flashes in her mind. Almost immediately, Amaya tenses and hunches over. The pain is great. She doesn't want to think about that. This is just a tournament. It's not serious. She can make do with the Ama no Iwato Ken… But does she really need to go that far even? No, she has hurt herself badly enough already. The first level should be enough.
If she can't win at the first level, then she'll just give up. "Kinjutsu: <Forbidden Technique:>" she begins. Then a wave of red Geki rises from her body, engulfing her in a different sort of aura from before. This one seems to be causing Amaya pain, damaging her even as it strengthens her. Her muscles bulge a bit, but aside from that and the aura, no obvious changes take place. "Pain to Power!" She straightens up, pulling her hands away from her arms and just letting the blood flow. Steam rises from her wounds, and she winces a bit, but then she just raises both hands above her head, and the aura rises higher and grows larger!
The image of a large housecat appears, but not a friendly housecat. This one has eyes wide, teeth bared, back arched, claws extended, and is obviously ready to fight if needs be. Then the cat image fades as the Geki swirls around above Amaya's head, turning into a large sphere.
">Hellcat Technique!<" she yells before throwing the severe at Tessen with a scream of pain. If it hits anything, even the ground, it blows up in a big way, creating a wide crater about 80 feet across. And the entire ring will be tinted crimson for about a minute afterwards, no matter what the sphere hits.
Tessen glared at her as the technique formed. His own body hurt and she was right. Despite his calm demeanor, he was tired and his legs shook as he watched the attack form from her pain and anger. A low roar opened from the depths of his stomach as he glowed red for a moment as the orb neared. It was hard to tell whether it was his own technique or that monstrous orb flying at his head.
As it crashed into the ground and sent debris and large chunks of ground flying everywhere it would be assume he was somewhere at the bottom of the crated she had formed. No one in his condition could have avoided something like that. For a moment as the smoke cleared and dust began to settle he stood inactive safely out of its blast radius.
This was his will, this was his ability. He was Rain's bodyguard, and would not fall to her so easily. His eyes foresaw victory, his body could taste it, and this blood that spilled from him was the payment he made to attain it. While others had suffered and lost in life…he chose to turn that feeling into power. He would not allow himself to fall until every bone was broken, and his body was too exhausted to move. Best to kill him than let him breath. Only Rain could subdue this man…only Rain would make him bow down and admit his limitations.
When the dust was almost settled he made a few seals and let loose two waves of small balls of lightning in a blistering number and pace. It would end one way or another. He wanted to see her fall. She could not maintain fighting much longer and reverted for her own protection. That had to be the reason.
Tora-Tora-Tora hmmms deeply as he watches the battle. "Hey, Aion… That Uchiha is looking pretty exhausted. They're both not in great shape, but the guy down there is going to be in the hospital if he keeps pushing himself… Should we call the match?" Kinji shakes his head, but says nothing, eyes on the two combatants. Tora-Tora-Tora makes a guttural noise and then looks back to the battle. Kinji has not taken his eyes off either challenger since the match started.
He thinks he sees something.
Jon furrows his brow, and feels a leaden weight in his chest. "Aw, no." Jon hates it when Amaya uses that ability. :/ She shouldn't /have/ to use that, least of all in a friendly competition like this. What's going on down there? What did Tessen say that made Amaya want to end it this way? Jon sighs and tries to settle himself for the rest of the match. He tells himself several times that, later on, he'll have to remember to suppress his detective's instinct to interrogate Amaya about it…he'll just be there, and listen to anything she wants to say.
"This is startin' t'look like a grudge match, ladies'n'gents," Scruvo intones ominously. "I've seen that red stuff a few times before, an' it ain't nevah pretty wot 'appens aftah--CRIKEY!!!" Scruvo bolts for the far end of the arena when the feline image appears. o.O; It's a good thing he did, too, because in the explosion which comes soon after his previous perch probably wouldn't have been very safe. "Phew…I ain't big on cats at th'best of times, but I especially wouldn't 'ave liked t'play tag wi' that wallah. Looks like Tessen's managed to keep from bein' caught, but 'e's 'it' now regardless…an' 'e's taggin' back wi' more o' those lightnin' things!"
Amaya seems to streak off to the left, trailing green after-images as the lightning barrage comes flying at her, but she also seems to come running in from the right… From where she >wasn't< standing just a moment before, and >into< the path of the lightning spheres. Or she would have been in their path a second before. Now they have passed beyond and slammed into the barrier and retainer wall, sending sparks and bolts of electricity everywhere and cracking the ground and setting fire to the few plants on that side of the ring.
When another barrage comes at her, Amaya leaps up and over, cartwheeling and landing half-way between her previous position and Tessen's current spot. She then charges in, still exceptionally fast, but not quite as fast as when she was using her Cave of the Sun God technique. But now she has something different driving her. There's an edge in her expression and eyes that wasn't there before.
She closes the distance between her and the Uchiha, and if she can get close enough she swings her fists repeatedly, trying to just punch Tessen into submission. But it's not just physical force she's relying on. That red aura of Geki, if it touches any part of Tessen, even if the punch itself is merely a tap, would cause pain to radiate from the impact point sufficient to leave a grown non-shinobi man gasping for breath.
She is aware Jon doesn't like her to use this technique. She doesn't like using it either. But she isn't going to push further than this if she can help it. She won't. This is just a tournament.
Having finally got his release papers signed, Hinotori quickly rushes towards the stadium. He heard there is a match already in progress, he didn't know how far along it was, he just wants to see the outcome and anything else that may be going on. Rushing up the steps and seeing that the stands are full, he finds a place along the wall and just stands there and watches.
Tessen sees her coming and tells his body to move, but it is hesitating. He should be able to push past the gap now and get to safety, but his legs feel like lead weights. When she comes in he is distracted by this sensation as the first punch grazes his moving head. The pain racks into him and almost makes him collapse. On sheer willpower alone he forces a heavy leap back from her second two blows. This was dangerous work here, but he was going to give it an all or nothing here.
His final attack!
With gritted teeth he forced the chakra and seals to work together. The lightning came faster in desperation, and was harder to control in his waning state. In almost an instant the orb was formed, but he wasn't looking to jump back and launch it now. Instead he opted for a point blank shot.
With gritted teeth he slammed his hands towards Amaya and let the orb fly. As it moved the short gap he forced himself to blur back out of its predicted range. This was it, his final testament. The only thing that came from a spent and beaten man's mouth was…
"Sorry to have failed you…sama forgive me…"
Amaya doesn't have a lot of room to maneuver. Tessen didn't move back too far. And the speed at which that lightning orb is gathered gives her little time to react. Still, she does her best. And her best is just >barely< good enough. She leaps up and over the orb, arching her back and trying to pass by it before it can detonate. She almost cuts it too close. The orb >explodes< and it is only a mix of reflexes and luck that keeps any of the resulting bolts from striking her. When she lands, she lands on her feet -- just like a cat. Then she goes running on all fours, just like a cat, and when she gets close enough she leaps at Tessen with eyes showing vertical pupils, just like a cat's, and then she attempts to just smash a 'paw' of Ki into the side of Tessen's face… Batting him around, just like a cat playing with its prey.
Does Amaya still think this is a game? No. But it's still not a 'real fight'. So she refrains from using her claws, even though that painful aura of Ki is still present. She does attempt to land after her lunging swat, and send one leg straight up from a crouch, attempting to drive her heel into Tessen's jaw. "Do us both a favor and fall down now," she growls out.
Tessen looked at her in anger and amazement. As he saw the first paw coming he managed to make a clone and move a short distance from Amaya. The heel that followed nailed him in the jaw as he went to move. He was forced to bolt upright from it before falling over. In that instant of standing she saw his crimson eyes turn back to their charcoal color and carry a look of disappointment in them.
As he hit the ground his body was limp and his head turned to the side. Blood poured from his wounds only clotted by the dirt that gathered in them. His eyes stayed open as he lie there no life left in him to move or speak. Truth told, he didn't even hear her words to him as his body, beaten and broken, lie there. Only a hollow look in his eyes, not one of an unconscious man, but one of a man who has lost will. His fire gone…snuffed out. The only though that ran through his head over and over, even in his slumber was, "You lied to me…"
There is silence for several moments after Tessen hits the ground. Tora-Tora-Tora starts forward but then remembers the barrier. Kinji raises a hand and calls out calmly, "Match concluded. Winner: Nagayama Amaya." Tora roars, "BRING DOWN THE BARRIERS AND GET THE HEALERS IN THERE! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?" The Medic-Nin run, and do not walk, towards Tessen. One does not ignore the orders of an angry tiger.
Jon feels a bit detached now as he watches. It looks like it's almost over…that last lightning attack was a bit sloppy, despite how close it came to working. And now, at the end…it's almost funny, how Amaya's finishing him off. Reduced to a cat's prey, buffeted around like a toy. Jon stands quietly amongst the crowd's cheering at the conclusion of the match, and makes his way toward the contestants' lobby.
"And theah y'have it, lads'n'lasses!" Scruvo calls out. "Th'Kemonoken Kitty makes catnip outta th'Mystery Man Uchiha! Wot a battle! Give 'em both a big 'and, er, 'specially you medic chappies, looks like they kin use it. See ya next time, mates, theah's even more thrills an' amazement t'come!"
Amaya hurts. But she knows she isn't hurting as much as her opponent. Even so, she is glad to let go of the strength granted her by the Pain to Power technique. It is forbidden for a reason. Because… When she rises to her feet and stands over Tessen, breathing hard, though the >strength< is gone… The >pain stays<. She lets out a shuddering breath as she relaxes. She wants to help Tessen, but she's not a medic. So she just stays out of the way as those who >are< Medics take care of him. He's going to be hospitalized for awhile. The barriers might keep him from dying… But that level of exhaustion is going to take time to recover from. And she'll need time too.
She leaves the ring, just as the heavens open up and begin to weep a deluge of rain upon the Land of Grass. She is expecting she'll have some explaining to do. Words echo in her head, just as they do in Tessen's. 'Even if you don't have a conscience, >I< do. I'm not going to let >either< of us cause me regrets further down the line.' Words she should have spoken before. 'I forfeit! I'm not going to beat up someone who is already defeated!' A choice she failed to make.
She wanted this to be over before. Winning isn't the only thing that matters in life. And yet why does this victory feel like a loss?
